A known inner-sliding type sunroof apparatus is disclosed in JP3650327B (hereinafter referred to as Patent reference 1). As illustrated in FIG. 8, the known sunroof apparatus disclosed in Patent reference 1 includes a guide rail 92 and a sliding member 93. The guide rail 92 is provided at each of edge portions, in a vehicle width direction, of an opening portion 91a formed at a roof portion 91 of a vehicle so as to extend in a vehicle front/rear direction. The sliding member 93 is provided to be slidable along the guide rail 92 in a vehicle front/rear direction. A movable panel 95 is connected to the sliding members 93 via respective function brackets 94.
When the sunroof apparatus having the above-described structure is in a fully-closed state (the state that is illustrated in FIG. 8) in which the movable panel 95 blocks or closes the opening portion 91a, in a case where the sliding members 93 move in the vehicle front direction, the movable panel 95, together with the function brackets 94, performs a tilt-up movement, that is, a rear portion of the movable panel 95 moves upwardly relative to or about a front portion of the movable panel 95. On the other hand, in a case where the sliding members 93 move in the vehicle rear direction in the fully-closed state, the movable panel 95 performs a tilt-down movement, that is, the rear portion of the movable panel 95, together with the function brackets 94, moves downwardly relative to or about the front portion of the movable panel 95. In a case where the sliding members 93 further move in the vehicle rear direction, the movable panel 95, together with the function brackets 94, performs a sliding movement in the vehicle rear direction while the movable panel 95 being maintained in a tilt-down state, so that the opening portion 91a is opened.
According to the known sunroof apparatus disclosed in Patent reference 1, a gutter member 96 for guiding water, which drops down from the movable panel 95, to the guide rails 92 is pivotably connected to a rear end portion of the function brackets 94. More specifically, the gutter member 96 includes a gutter body 96a formed in a substantially U-shape and extending in the vehicle width direction along a rear end portion of the movable panel 95. The gutter member 96 includes a connected portion 96b which extends from each of end portions of the gutter body 96a in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle front direction and is pivotably connected to the rear end portion of the corresponding function bracket 94. In addition, the gutter member 96 includes a shoe portion 96c extending from each of the end portions of the gutter body 96a in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle rear direction. Each of the shoe portions 96c is provided at the corresponding guide rail 92 so as to be pivotable, and so as to be movable in the vehicle front/rear direction.
Accordingly, for example, when the movable panel 95 performs a tilt movement, the gutter member 96 follows the tilt movement of the movable panel 95 and tilts in a manner that a front portion of the gutter member 96 moves upwardly/downwardly relative to a rear portion (that is, the shoe portions 96c) of the gutter member 96. On the other hand, when the movable panel 95 performs the sliding movement, the gutter member 96 performs the sliding movement integrally with the movable panel 95.
According to the known sunroof apparatus disclosed in Patent reference 1, for example, the gutter member 96 tilts in a manner that the gutter member 96 rises up by following the tilt-up movement of the movable panel 95. Thus, the gutter member 96 is easily viewed from an inside/outside of a vehicle cabin, which may deteriorate an appearance. In addition, the gutter member 96 that is tilted and risen may cause, for example, a wind noise when the vehicle is running.
A need thus exists for a sunroof apparatus which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.